Oct 7, 2018 7 min read

His love for Burgettstown High School football was never questioned.

Opposing coaches who were getting ready to play one of coach Rege Onderick’s Blue Devils football teams – good, bad or mediocre – knew they were in for a long week of practice, preparation and sleepless nights.

“Rege had a quality and competitive program all the time regardless of the team’s record or circumstance,” said Guy Montecalvo, former Washington High School coach who faced off against Onderick many times.

“His defenses were always so tough to play against because he was so prepared.”

Onderick, who will turn 79 next month, was a meticulous gameplanner and paid attention to even the smallest details in his time as Burgettstown’s football coach, which started in 1974 and ran through 1997.

“They were the greatest 24 years of my life,” Onderick said. “My loves were my wife, Dianne, Blue Devils football, my players and the 7th and 8th graders I taught. I just loved them all.”

Onderick taught geography and embraced the students’ energy and eagerness to learn.

“We got along so well,” he said. “The little ones were anxious to learn. We had a good time.”

Coaching football at Burgettstown was not always easy for Onderick. His first team in 1974 surprised many, going 9-1, after he succeeded Ralph Arrigo as coach. Onderick served as an assistant for Arrigo. The team went 9-1 in 1973 but had lost a number of seniors and key players.

“We had graduated 20 seniors,” explained Terry Havelka, who was a senior on that team and later coached with Onderick. “I don’t think anyone expected a lot from us in 1974. Rege got us and himself off to a great start there.”

Onderick’s Blue Devils went 8-3 in 1976 and made the WPIAL playoffs in 1977, going 9-2 and winning a playoff game against Beth-Center at Canon-McMillan. Burgettstown lost in the semifinals the next week against eventual WPIAL champion South Allegheny.

The Blue Devils posted three more winning seasons, went 7-3 in 1985 and qualified for the playoffs again in 1986, posting an 8-2-1 record and playing a classic Century Conference game against Beth-Center that ended in a tie.

“Rege was an energetic guy,” said Kip Kuzior, who played quarterback at Burgettstown in the early 1990s. “He was so well prepared and dedicated. Coaching football and his teaching was his life. Those guys were his sons and his students were his sons and daughters. He was always excited to coach and teach.

“He never shortchanged a season or a kid. He was totally dedicated.”

Truly, Onderick and his wife, Dianne – who passed away four years ago – looked upon the players as sons. The couple, who were married 52 years and lived in Beaver County, never had children.

“It was important to me to take care of my players – take care of my sons,” Onderick said. “I could never let down my players.”

Onderick fought for Burgettstown football his entire reign as coach. He brought new uniforms and the Dallas Cowboys helmet star logo to the Blue Devils’ program. He worked diligently to make positive changes to Hill Memorial Stadium, the Blue Devils’ home field.

Onderick played a role in getting the district to change its name from Union High School to Burgettstown, he said, in an effort to give the school “an identity.”

He fought to brighten the field by painting it, and acquiring the paint on his own. He made a diligent effort to improve locker room conditions at the stadium.

“He was always trying to take Burgettsown and the football program a step further,” said Havelka, who was Onderick’s offensive coordinator for 10 years and later served as Burgettstown’s head football and wrestling coach and athletic director.

“From the facilities, to the uniforms, to the helmet details and a weight program, Rege took care of it all. He didn’t miss a summer workout. That summer program gave the kids a feeling that they were one step better.”

After the special 1986 season, the program started to struggle. The Blue Devils managed four .500 seasons from 1987 through 1995.

The district made a change after a winless 1997 season and that still stings Onderick.

“I was engrossed in my team and my players,” Onderick said. “I always had hope. I always felt we had a way to win any game. We had a lot of good players and, for the most part, we prepared them.

“It was a ride I enjoyed every day. I couldn’t wait until the next day. The kids and I had that kind of relationship. It was exhilarating.

“It wasn’t easy and I knew what was put into it. That’s why I had such a hard time getting over being fired from the job. My last three years (teaching) at Burgettstown were hell not coaching. When I got there as an assistant, the program was mediocre at best. And there wasn’t a whole lot of interest from people to try and improve it. I felt betrayed.”

Those feelings led to Onderick not wanting to ever return to Burgettstown.

The chill has thawed, though, to the point that Onderick will be honored and his work will be recognized Friday night at the annual Burgettstown Area Scholarship Foundation Homecoming Event. The dinner will be held at the Langeloth Community Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner begins at 7 p.m.

Havelka said he feels “lucky” to have been able to play for and coach with Onderick.

“I’m glad he will return to Burgettstown later this week,” he said. “As a player, he was one of those guys you would run through a wall for if he asked. Rege had that intangible. He was charismatic. You would do everything in your power to get it done for him. He was a second father figure to me.

“I kept in contact with him while I was at William & Mary. I felt fortunate to come back and be asked to coach with him. I was coaching in my hometown for someone I idolized.”

While Montecalvo and Onderick battled on the field, the mutual respect grew through the years. They even talked about coaching together.

Onderick’s Blue Devils stunned Washington twice during their longtime series. Burgettstown wrecked the Little Prexies’ undefeated regular seasons in 1983 and in 1989. The 1989 game at Wash High Stadium featured a 1-8 Blue Devils team against a 9-0 Wash High team. Burgettstown won 28-27, knocking away a two-point conversion pass late in the game to pull of the victory.

“I always admired Wash High,” Onderick said. “Out of all the fields in Washington County it was the nicest. Wash High was the jewel of Washington County. The field always looked great and the teams were always good.

“I’m not sure why we had those successes against them. Guy coached them so well. For whatever reason, maybe just the matchups, I don’t know. But it was always electric when we played Wash High.”

Montecalvo said it was Onderick’s passion for the game and his ability to get the most of his players that allowed for the Blue Devils’ success through the years.

“Defensively, especially, it was always so tough to play against his teams,” Montecalvo said. “They inflicted tough losses on us in 1983 and 1989. The loss in ’89 impacted our team because we were cruising along and then we lost to them and got beat the next week in the first round of the playoffs.

“Rege had some really good teams and some really good players. I always had great respect for him. There is no question, he was extremely tough to prepare for because his teams schematically and fundamentally were so sound. He was a fundamentalist.

We were fierce competitors but became good friends. He is a compassionate human being. He reached out to my son (the late Jimmy Montecalvo) and my family when we had some difficult times. As far as I am concerned, Rege is a great friend.”